Thai Basil Chicken Recipe (Pad Kra Pao Gai)

Thai Basil Chicken Recipe made with delicious bits of ground chicken, shallots, and fresh basil stir-fried in a light and flavorful sauce filled with lots of heat and just the right amount of sweetness. Less than 400 calories per serving and ready in just 25 minutes, enjoy this Easy Thai Basil Chicken with a side of cooked rice and a glass of Thai Iced Tea.

Thai Basil Chicken

Grab a wok (or skillet), because this simple, delicious, and super flavorful Thai basil chicken is so easy to make anyone can do it! Ready in under 30 minutes (for even the slowest of cooks), this Thai chicken recipe tastes phenomenal hot off the wok, or leftover the next day (so make extra – hint hint).

I have many memories ordering and enjoying this popular and well-known Thai street food while traveling through Thailand way back in 2011. When I needed a break from the endless pad thai or tom yum soup, Thai basil chicken was always a favorite.

Also known as pad kra pao gai, or holy basil chicken stir-fry, the key players in this dish include chicken, holy basil (more on this in a bit), Thai chilies, and a combination of sauces for the perfect sweet and salty finish.

Keep reading to learn all about how to make this Thai basil chicken recipe plus tips with simple substitutions for some of the more hard-to-find ingredients.

Let’s talk about the different types of basil

Alright, you guys. We need to have a little chat about basil. Why? Well, because not all basil is the same. And people really take their basil seriously. So, here we go.

There are four primary, or most-popular, types of basil used in cooking: sweet basil, Thai basil, lemon basil, and holy basil. They are all different. Since I’m not here to talk just about basil today, let’s focus on what’s important-

What type of basil is used to make authentic Thai Basil Chicken?

To make authentic Thai basil chicken or Pad Kra Pao Gai, you need holy basil, also referred to as Thai holy basil. That’s right, not Thai basil and definitely not sweet basil.

What is the difference between Thai basil and (Thai) holy basil?

Holy basil is unique in that it is peppery and spicy, and, like Szechuan pepper, creates a numbing effect on the tongue. Thai basil, on the other hand, is sweeter, with strong notes of licorice and anise. If you can’t find holy basil, Thai basil is a good substitute, just know that the overall flavor will be different.

This recipe features Thai basil as I could not find holy basil. In fact, I had to special order this Thai basil from my local market as it seems the only thing available locally is sweet basil.

How to cook Thai Basil Chicken

To make this Thai basil chicken recipe, simply:

Start by whisking together the sugar, Oyster sauce, fish sauce, and soy sauce in a small bowl. I like to do this before I start cooking anything because once the cooking starts, things move fast. Also, since we’re working over high heat in this recipe, it does require more attention and stirring to prevent burning.

Cook the aromatics – Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat. Once hot, add the oil and the aromatics – in this case, the shallots, chilies, and garlic. Mix well to combine and fry over high heat for 2-3 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning.

Add the chicken – Add the ground chicken and fry for 2-3 minutes. Use a wooden spoon or spatula and really break up your ground chicken into smaller bits and pieces. Mix well with the shallots, chilies, and garlic. Prefer to use chicken thighs or chicken breasts? No problem. Simply chop into small pieces, approximately 1/2-inch or smaller (remember, quick cook time).

Add the soy sauce mixture – Pour the mixture of sugar, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and soy sauce(s) over the chicken and cook, stirring continuously, for 1-2 minutes. With the wok still over high heat, add the chicken broth (or water) and de-glaze any brown bits stuck to the bottom of your wok or skillet.

Stir in the basil – Add the basil and continue to cook until wilted.

Tips and Tricks

Prepare and chop everything before you start cooking.

Dark soy sauce is thicker and less salty when compared to regular soy sauce. While used for some flavor, dark soy sauce is used primarily to achieve that classic dark, caramel color we all love in Asian dishes. It is not required to make a great tasting Thai basil chicken.

Authentic Thai basil chicken recipes will be made with Thai bird eye chilies. Small, skinny chilies that are quite hot (somewhere between jalapeños and habaneros). Here in the states, they can be quite difficult to find. If that’s the case, substitute with red jalapeñ0s – hotter than green jalapeños and similar in appearance. If you don’t care about appearance and you really love extra hot food, you can always add 1-2 habanero peppers.

You may use ground chicken, ground turkey, or finely chopped chicken thighs or chicken breasts. Because this is a quick-cooking chicken stir-fry, be sure to chop whole chicken breasts or chicken thighs into tiny little chunks.

For best results, roughly chop or slice your garlic cloves rather than mince them. They will be less likely to burn (and stick) to the skillet this way.

What should I serve with Thai Basil Chicken?

Traditionally, Thai basil chicken is served with a side of cooked white or brown rice and a trio of sauces shared by the table. My favorite sauce to serve with not only Thai basil chicken, but all Thai food, is a combination of fish sauce and lime juice with chopped Thai bird’s eye chilies.

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Thai Basil Chicken Recipe (Pad Kra Pao Gai)

5 from 3 votes

Thai Basil Chicken Recipe made with delicious bits of ground chicken, shallots, and fresh basil stir-fried in a light and flavorful sauce filled with lots of heat and just the right amount of sweetness. Less than 400 calories per serving and ready in just 25 minutes, enjoy this Easy Thai Basil Chicken with a side of cooked rice and a glass of Thai Iced Tea.

Instructions

Whisk together the sugar, Oyster sauce, fish sauce, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.

Cook the chilies, shallots, and garlic - Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat. Once hot, add the oil, shallots, chilies, and garlic. Mix well to combine and fry over high heat for 2-3 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning.

Add the chicken - Add the ground chicken and fry for 2-3 minutes, breaking up into smaller bits and pieces while mixing with the shallots, chilies, and garlic.

Add the soy sauce mixture - Pour the mixture of sugar, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and soy sauce(s) over the chicken and cook, stirring continuously, for 1-2 minutes. With the wok still over high heat, add the chicken broth (or water) and de-glaze any brown bits stuck to the bottom of your wok or skillet.

Stir in the basil - Add the basil and continue to cook until wilted. Serve with white or brown rice.

Notes

Dark soy sauce is thicker and less salty when compared to regular soy sauce. While used for some flavor, dark soy sauce is used primarily to achieve that classic dark, caramel color we all love in Asian dishes. It is not required to make a great tasting Thai basil chicken.

Authentic Thai basil chicken recipes will be made with Thai bird chilies. Small, skinny chilies that are quite hot (somewhere between jalapeños and habeneros). Here in the states they can be quite difficult to find. If that's the case, substitute with red jalapeñ0s - hotter than green jalapeños and similar in appearance.

Holy basil is authentic to Thai basil chicken. Holy basil is unique in that it is spicy, and, like Szechuan pepper, creates a numbing effect on the tongue. Thai basil, on the other hand, is sweeter, with strong notes of licorice and anise. If you can't find holy basil, Thai basil is a good substitute, just know that the overall flavor will be different (this recipe features Thai basil).

You may use ground chicken, ground turkey, or finely chopped chicken thighs or chicken breasts.

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

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About Jessica

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, Buzzfeed, FeedFeed and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

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About Jessica Randhawa

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, Buzzfeed, FeedFeed and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.